Group cognitive-behavioural therapy for anorexia nervosa: a case for treatment?

✍ Scribed by Newman Leung; Glenn Waller; Glyn Thomas

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 87 KB
• Volume: 7
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1072-4133
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1099-0968(199911)7:5<351::aid-erv305>3.0.co;2-d

✦ Synopsis

Objectives: There is a lack of empirical data regarding the ef®cacy of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in anorexia nervosa. In addition, the narrow focus of traditional CBT on food-and weight-related negative thoughts and dysfunctional assumptions has been questioned. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a CBT group for anorexic individuals, and to determine whether or not treatment outcome is associated with non-speci®c underlying cognitions (core beliefs).

Method: Twenty anorexic women participated in a 10-week cognitivebehavioural group programme. Eating cognitions and behaviours were assessed at the beginning and end of the programme. Core beliefs were assessed at the beginning of the group and were used as predictors of changes in anorectic cognitions and symptoms.

Results: Group CBT was found to be ineffective in symptom reduction, and core beliefs were irrelevant to outcome. These ®ndings do not appear to be methodological artefacts.

Conclusion: It is suggested that group CBT in its current short form is insuf®cient to induce changes, due to its failure to address some process issues central to anorexia nervosa (such as poor motivation, lack of insight, and ambivalence towards treatment). Copyright *